Pregnant women with dengue warned of complications

SAN FABIAN—The Pangasinan Health Office warned pregnant women of complications that may arise in treating them if they contract dengue in particular.

This was the case of a young pregnant girl in Barangay Sagud Bahley this town who died on August 20 after she contracted dengue.

Dr. Anna Ma. Teresa de Guzman, provincial health officer, said Wednesday that her office is still verifying the facts about the reported death of Diana Fortez, 20, a senior student of Hotel and Restaurant Management at Colegio de Dagupan, reportedly succumbed possibly due to dengue.

De Guzman said anybody is at risk of getting inflicted of dengue and pregnant women are no exception. She added they should be doubly on their guard as they are hard to be treated because of their condition.

Fortez, according to her live-in partner, Paul Cedric Ellarma, was confined at the Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan City for eight days and was in severe pain, adding that there were times that she vomited blood.

He said her blood test showed she was positive of dengue but suspects she might have also died of complications.

He said the pain of losing Fortez was double as it was the day that they learned the baby she was conceiving was a boy. The baby would have turned five months on August 28.

Ellarma, a marine engineering student at the Pangasinan Merchant Marine Academy, said they had planned on getting married soon as his petition as an immigrant to the United States is approved.

As of Aug. 21, there are 4,383 dengue cases with 17 deaths in Pangasinan or 89.74 percent higher compared to the same period last year with 2,310 cases and seven deaths, based on data from the Provincial Health Office. (with PhilStar wire service)